1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to bandages, more specifically to an orthopedic splint appliance for a body part. The invention provides a bandage having, a permanent brace and fastening element formed within the bandage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,309 patented Aug. 8, 1989 by D. Elsey describes a wrist splint comprising a flexible panel of a foam core between expandable skin layers, and pockets on the panel containing stays and having a foam core between expandable skin layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,624 patented May 16, 1995 by S. Williams describes an elasticized breathable wrap-around base material contoured to an anatomical part requiring treatment, releasable fastening means and an elasticized breathable pocket on the wrap-around material containing a liquid containing pod that is contoured to the shape of the anatomical part.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,837 patented Feb. 3, 1998 by Grim et al. describes an orthopedic support having a base made of a material of which flexibility is a function of thickness, molded in different thicknesses in one shot to provide thin areas of the wrap around support that are flexible and thicker areas that are rigid and provide splinting support.
It is one object of the invention to provide an appliance for a body part requiring a splint.
It is another object that the appliance can be economically and quickly custom designed for a particular area of the body part that requires the splint.
It is another object that the custom design of each appliance can be made permanent.
A first sheet shaped to cover a palm and a wrist, which is not sensitive to radio frequency energy at a frequency at which the appliance is molded so that the first sheet does not significantly heat and does not soften when it is exposed to the radio frequency energy, is wrapped over a second sheet which is sensitive to radio frequency energy at the frequency at which the appliance is molded so that the second sheet heats and softens when it is exposed to the radio frequency energy, and the first sheet is wrapped, second sheet inward, over a splint, and wrapped over a rod, and then radio frequency energy is applied to the to the wrapping until the second sheet is fused to itself around the splint and around the rod, and bonded to the first sheet by the radio frequency generated heat provided by the second sheet, and radio frequency sensitive material of the appliance melts from heat generated by the material into tubelets in a wall of the mold forming hooks for a book and loop fastener.